Whale season is a truly magical experience. The natural beauty of these wonderful creatures is simply amazing and very intriguing. Albany since the early 1800's was known as a whaling town, until it was ceased in 1978. Discovery Bay (also known as Whale World) was the old Cheynes Whaling Station where the whales were bought to and is now a history museum and usually a good place during late May and early October to see them in King George Sound.
Humpback Whales and Southern Right Whales are yearly visitors to Albany, with the occasional sighting of a Blue Whale and Orcas. Humpback Whales come up from Antarctica to the south coast and then travel east to west until they round Cape Leeuwin heading north up to Broome to give birth in the warmer waters or to mate. Their journey through Albany waters have them travelling in a line from Michaelmas and Breaksea Islands on the edge of King George Sound to Bald Head and are usually spotted from mid to late August.
Southern Right Whales are a quiet but curious whale and like to shelter in bays, such as King George Sound by Middleton Beach. They too, like the Humpback Whales, travel up from Antarctica, but stay along the south coast. They typically stand for about 10 days to mate and then return to Antarctica. They come back to the south coast to give birth after an 11 month gestation period.​
Albany has two great charter teams who can take you out on their vessels to experience these majestic creatures:
